As always, the zoo animals brought before the committee--in this case a porcupine, a bullsnake and a chinchilla--were the stars for the media. But after the charismatic critters left the stage, the Zoo's lepidopterist and conservation biologist Erik Runquist testified about the organization's work to save butterflies and other pollinators.

We post video of the testimony below. It made us eager to pay more attention to the tiny prairie butterflies that do still live up here on the prairie grasslands of the Coteau.

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